Concrete Counter Top Tutorial

Finally, the long awaited how-to post [and quite possibly my longest post ever!].

Of course, I must begin this with a caution: if you choose to make your own concrete counter tops, please do all kinds of research before beginning. In this post I will tell you step by step what we did [and it worked great for us]. However, before you begin a huge endeavor like this, I want you to be fully equipped with all kinds of knowledge. My dad [who is now retired] had a construction business for a million years [give or take a year], and he was kind enough to talk us through the project- so I felt confident. I want you to feel confident too!

So, without further adieu... here's what we did:

1.Call a concrete finisher [What?! This is supposed to be a DIY project!]. Trust me, it [mostly] is- but here's the thing: finishing concrete is an art. We were going to do it all ourselves, then at the last minute my dad called his concrete guy and asked him to finish it instead. At first I was like, "Hmmm. I was gonna do it, that's more $$ to spend!" But... then I watched him moving that trowel thingy around like a true artist and I was like, "OMG[oodness], I'm so glad I didn't try to do that myself." So here's my suggestion- find someone who will finish the concrete but is willing to let you do the grunt work [make the forms, mix and haul the concrete, pour it... trust me, you'll still have plenty to do].  This will save you a TON of cash, but you'll still get a beautiful finished product.

2.Purchase your concrete [get the good stuff, it's not very expensive] and rent a mixer [trust me... you'll wish you had one if you don't].

3. Build your forms. This part was H.A.R.D. [hope you like math...]

• Take all measurements and then remove existing counter tops. Lay down 1"x12" boards on cabinets [lengthwise]. You will have to piece them together and cut boards to the appropriate length for your cabinets. You are creating the base for your counters, so make sure that your boards are flush with the sides of the cabinets.[you can just barely see the wood board in the photo below. That's what you want] When you're finished with this part it will look like you have a wooden plank counter top. At this point, you need to do all necessary cut-outs [like your sink]. You need to know the size & shape of your sink as well as the faucet placements, so if you haven't purchased one yet, do it now! Under mount sinks come with a pattern- use a jigsaw to cut that pattern out in your planks. Also, be sure to cut necessary holes for faucets or any additional special features that require access through your counter top.  


• Now you'll need 1"x1 1/4" boards [that's the size we used... you can use a different size if you want different overhang dimensions]. These boards will form the bottom edge of your counter top as shown in the photo above. Use drywall screws to secure theses boards right to your cabinets [this might freak you out... I was going to paint my cabinets anyway so I was fine with it. However, the holes were tiny and not noticeable anyway... even if you aren't painting, you could easily use pre-tinted wood filler and never notice the holes.]. If you have an over hang [as shown here in the photo below] then there is no cabinet to secure your bottom board to, so you'll need a 1"x4" board instead. Then you can simply screw up into the 1"x12" board [as shown... it's been painted grey] for support. You'll also want to place a 2"x4" board on the floor and build struts every 3 feet to shore-up the outer edge until the concrete is completely dry.  

• Now it's time to add the board that will form the edge of your counter top. [See above photo] We used 1"x3 1/2" boards to get the thickness we wanted, and then secured them to the 1 1/4" boards that are already attached [screw them into the 1x1 1/4" boards]. Be sure to have a laser line to ensure everything is level throughout this process.  Also, be sure to check that the top of your forms are level [which will be the top of your counter top], so you don't end-up with a slanted counter. One more note: be sure to measure around your stove. We don't have any overhang around ours because there wasn't enough room [see above photo].
• We also added rebar inside the counter for additional support. You don't want the rebar resting on the boards [because it's useless then], so screw in 1/2" screws into the planks and set the rebar on top of them [so it "floats"] every 2-3 ft.
• Once our form was put together we taped each joint using packing tape [that clear stuff] in order to keep the concrete from running out the cracks. Make sure you tape the joints on your wooden planks too [you don't want it oozing into your cabinets]!
• Note: where your cabinets join together it creates support for the counter top. Most cabinets are significantly less than 60" in width [mine were], but if you have a really long unsupported span [greater than 60"] then you'll need to put in a shoring strut [again, this is very unlikely... ask your concrete guy what that is if it applies to you!].
• Now, where your counter meets the wall you'll want to chalk a straight line. Use the top of your forms to get the height [and make sure it's straight... that's super important]. Using that chalk line as your guide, nail a very thin 1/2" strip board to the wall. This will be the straight edge that your concrete finisher uses to keep everything in line so that you don't have a whompy back splash line [yes, he'll need it... don't forget this step!].  It can simply be removed once the concrete is poured & finished.
• Now, back to your sink... it will have directions on how to mount, so follow those directions when prepping the area to make sure you can mount it in the end! If your sink has all square corners [LUCKY!], then you can simply use boards to create the form. However, our sink was curved so we used a piece of aluminum. It was flexible which allowed us to create curves. It's also really, really hard to do right, it took us a while.
• The forms are now complete. [Whew!] 

5. You are ready to pour! Just before pouring we sprayed Pam on the inside of the wood forms [I know... weird]. This is a precautionary step to prevent the forms from sticking. Just make sure that you don't use any spray with sugar in it, because that will mess-up the concrete [not sure if they make sugar Pam... but just in case!]. Mix your concrete according to the directions on the bag. You want to pour it as dry as possible [if there's too much water then there's a greater risk of cracking when it dries]. Be sure to cover your floors to protect them from any spills or drips, then begin filling & hauling. We hauled it in buck by bucket, pouring it into the forms as directed by the professional. You'll work at his [or her] rate. Then I got to relax for a bit as he worked his magic. [halfway through the project we lost power. By then it was night so he had to work by candlelight... it was memorable to say the least!]. One note- make sure that your concrete finisher taps/shakes the forms often to cause a vibration. This will result in smoother edges.

6. Now you wait. And wait [and wish you had your kitchen sink]. And then wait some more. It will start to look dry after a day or two [but it's not yet]. You'll want to take those forms off, but don't for at least 4-5 days. You want it to be completely cured first.

7. Time to [finally] remove the forms [this part is SO exciting!]. Leave the bottom [the 1 1/4"] board on, though [I'll explain why in a minute]. You will be able to see the edges, and they may look a bit unfinished, with little holes and such. If it doesn't bother you, save yourself alot of hard work and  leave them just like that [you can remove the bottom board if you choose to skip this step]. If it does bother you... in order to finish them you'll need a bucket of water, a paint brush [just to fling the water], a small bowl of 2 parts mixed cement  [still wet, obviously] to 1 part sand mixture, a rubbing stone and P90X-like muscles [this part is SO miserable]. Fling water on the edge, add a little of your paste mixture and rub your stone in a circular motion [always moving down and in clockwise direction to avoid chipping the edge]. You'll create a concrete lather [yup, crazy right?!] and that lather fills in the little holes and smooths the edges. It feels like you're basically sanding concrete [even though technically it's a lather] soooo, yea. Have fun [sarcasm]. This was soooo not fun, but just get through it because it's worth it! [are you noticing a theme here?! I promise, it's like childbirth... you eventually forget the pain!]

8. Now it's time to... wait some more. Let your edges dry again [4-5 days]. Remove the last form and have a little Woo-Hoo party because the hard part is finished! Now you will wait another 6 or 7 days to stain your counter top. I don't recommend going to your typical hardware store for the stain. I went to a real concrete place to get the good commercial grade stuff [I totally didn't fit in at all either.. the construction guys stared at me like,  "why in the world would a concrete guy send his secretary to get his stain?" I don't think they see alot of DIY gals there!] Ask your concrete finisher where he gets his concrete materials, and that's where you'll want to go. Their were many color options, and the stain isn't cheap, but it's worth every penny [and you're still saving a ton of $$].  Ask the professionals all kinds of questions, just drive them crazy and make sure you get as much information as you can about this process! I used Lithochrome Chemstain Classic in Dark Walnut. It's a transparent stain, which I recommend if you want your counter top to have color variation.
9. Follow all  safety instructions listed on your stain when applying. I used chemical grade gloves and a cloth and just began rubbing the stain onto the concrete in really large, circular motions. The concrete will absorb the stain in a totally random and gorgeous way... I applied about 7 coats of stain... that's a ton, but I wanted my counter tops really dark so I just kept going until I achieved the color I wanted. If you prefer to stick with the natural concrete color then you can skip this entire step!
10. I installed my sink at this point. Yes... I went a very long time without a kitchen sink.

11. Let the whole thing completely dry again and then you can seal it. There are several options for sealing. You can use a wax [ask the concrete guys about it], or a concrete sealer. I went for option #2, but I might switch to the wax this time... I haven't decided yet. You can research your options there and choose what's best for you!

The whole thing took about a month from beginning to end and cost right around $500 for  46 square feet of counter top... which is just under $11 a square foot. Yes. It was worth it!! If you choose to make counter tops, then you will most likely have a question or two [or five thousand]. Feel free to email me or leave me a comment if you need additional information!